Improvement in harvesters



f 2 Sheets--Sheet 1. l. W. BRAGG.

Harvesters; N0. 140,675, Patentedju-l y8,1873.

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2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

I. W. BRAGG.

` Harvesters.

NO. 140,675, Patentedjuiy 8,1873.

AM. PHnra-umosnAm/c ca Isn/.(ossomefs mams) UNITED STATES PATENT EEIGE.

ISAAC YV. BRAGG,.OF KIDDER, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.-

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,675, dated July 8,1873; application filed May 31, 1872.

gles to the line of the cutters, to form a bundle of proper size, thegrain in the interim,

during the retreat and return of the table, be-

ing received upon cut-otisupporting bars, and y an oscillatingtrou ghbeing employed to square the butt-end of the gavel of grain previous tothe retreat of the table supporting it 5 second, in the provision, inconnection with the reciprocating bundling-table, of reciprocating headsor projecting vertical prongs above the surface of the table, the motionof which toward each other serves to collect into a bundle the grainwhich has been deposited in a uniform layer upon the table; third, inthe provision of a vibrating arm carrying fingers or jaws, which,

when over the table, embrace each other so as to surround the bundleformed by the reciprocating heads, and which, when over the spot uponthe ground upon which the bundle is required to be deposited, open outand let the bundle or gavel fall; fourth, in peculiar devices forimparting peculiar motions to the vibrating arm and fingers.

Figure lis a perspective view of so much of a reaping-machine as isnecessary to illustrate my invention, the gure showing the constructionand arrangement of my improved devices. Fig. 2 is a plan of the underside of the machine, showing the table-moving devices. Fig. 3 is askeleton perspective view, showing the peculiar mechanism for operatingthe bundling devices. Fig. 4. exhibits, in perspective, the cam andslide movement for givg the motion described to the bundlingta- A is theframe of the machine, between the projections a of .which the customaryreaperknife is located and operates, the knife being connected to thedriving-shaft in any of the usual ways. B is a sliding frame, the top ofwhich (removed to show the mechanism below it) forms a table orplatform, ou which the grain falls at intervals and is bundled. Theframe B has a reciprocating motion to and from the knife imparted to itby means ofthe followingdescribed mechanism: A cam, (his attached to theshaft D and fitted to revolve between the jaws e ot' the slide E, theshaft D passing through a slot, c', of the slide. An ear or lug, c, ofthe slide carries a rod or pitman, F, connected to a bell-crank, G,pivoted at g to the frame A. A bell-crank, H, is pivoted to the slidingframe B, at b, which has one of its ends connected to the arm I by rodJ, the bell-crank G being connected to the same arm by rod K in themanner shown. The inner end of the bell-crank H is connected by rod L toa lever, M, the adjustment of which, through lever N, regulates theposition of the slide B with relation to the knives ofthe rea-per.Parallel bars or links O may be used to preserve the sli-ding frame Bparallel with the cuttingknives of the reaper, or the said frame may bemade to move between guides.. It will be seen that owing to the lever Mbeing stationary when adjusted any movement of the cam G will result ina corresponding movement of sliding frame B. The arm I is attached toand operates the arm I and segmental toothed are Q, the arm P, by meansof slotted armU, serving to partially rotate-the standard or post T, andthe arc Q to give through pinion (dotted) and wheel It reciprocatingmotion to the projecting prongs S S in such a way that in one directionof motion of the wheel R the prongs approach each other, and in theopposite retire from each other. The prongs S connect by rack c withwheel lt, and the prongs S by rack c with the same wheel. The motion ofthe prongs toward each other serves to collect all of the grain whichhas fallen upon the platform into a bundle for removal, in the wayhereinafter described. The post or standard T, the lower end of which isjournaled in a projection from the sliding frame B, and rotated by leverU in connection with lever P, is adapted to make a fourth of a turnbackward and forward; The post or standard has an arm, V, attached toit, which carries the grasping-fingers W W.

The machine is so arranged that when the arm V is over the sliding frameB and the prongs closed together the ngers W WV will grasp the grainthus formed into a bundle, and the vibratory motion of the arm V willthen carry it to the position shown in Fig. 3, at which point the ngerswill open out and drop the bundle on the ground in the rear of themachine. The journal X, upon which the post T rotates, although notpermitted to revolve, receives a reciprocating vertical movement, which,in the upward movement, raises the bundle oi' the slidingframe table Bbefore the arm T carries it off. The double-ended lever Y carries atoothed arc, y', which gears into the circular rack y on top of thejournal X. The upward movement of the journal X causes the double-endedlever Y to close the iin gers W W upon the bundle ofthe grain on thetable B, as shown in Fig. 1, the lever Y being connected to the fingersby rods Z and short levers ff. The lever f operates the two fingers Wand the lever f the two fingers W. The downward movement of the journalX, which occurs suddenly when the arm V is in the position shown in Fig.3, causes the fingers W W to open and the bundle or gavel to fall on theground.

The movement upward of the journal X and the sudden downward movement ofthe same is accomplished by the following mechanism: A small shaft, g,is journaled in the frame of the machine, and has two cranks, g 9',fitted to it. The crank g is moved in one direction by the rod h, crankh, shaft h, and dog h", operated by the pin t' revolving upon shaft D,and in the other direction by the retractingspring j. A bar, m, ispassed through a slot in journal X, one of its ends connecting withcrank g and the other end (slotted) passing over a stationary pin, k, onthe frame of the machine. The `movement of the cranks g g'" causes, byreason of the provision of the inclined slotted end over pin k, the barm to retain its horizontality while being elevated and depressed. l Nearthe termination of the upward movement of bar m it strikes the post Tand lifts it and the arm V, the first part of the movement of the barbeing sufficient to close the fingers W W, and the termination of themovement raises the fingers and bundle bodily off the table, as beforeexplained. When the bar is at the highest elevation it is retained inthis position by the spring-catch n. The release of this catch by thepressure ofthe arm V against it enables the journal X to fall suddenlyand the iingers W W to open so as to release the bundle and allow it tofall upon the ground.

The rod r, which is operated by lever t and pin i, gives motion to thecut-off grain-supporting bars Y Y and the trough Q. The bar Yl receivesthe grain and supports it until it is time to let it fall upon the tableB, when it retreats so that the grain falls.

To support the grain temporarily durin g the retreat of the bar Yl thebar Y passes to the front by the motion of rod r, the trough at the sametime being swung up to square up the ends ofthe grain upon the table B.

I claim- 1. The combination of the horizontally-reciprocating table B,retreating at `intervals from the cutters, cut-oft` supporting-bars Y Yand oscillating trough Q, substantially as and Y for the purposesspecified.

2. In combination with the reciprocating table B, the bundling-prongs SS, having a reciprocating motion across the face of the table, andoperated substantially iu the manner and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with the bundling-table B S S, the vibrating arm V andcarrying-fingers WW', connected and operating substantially in themanner and for the purpose specied.

4. In combination with the arm V and carrying-ngers WV W, the rotatingand vertically-sliding post T, the vertically-sliding journal X y, barm, lever Y y', rods Z, and cranks ff, the bar being connected to thedriving mechanism, and the whole operated substantially in the mannerand for the purpose described.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

ISAAC W. BRAGG.

Witnesses FRANK MILLWARD, J. L. WARTMANN.

